Character and Cops : Ethics in Policing

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Since the first edition was published in 1989, Character and Cops has been considered the bible of police ethics training. The book is a comprehensive guide to the ethical challenges faced daily by police officers, especially in times of heightened security. The updated sixth edition features a new foreword by David Bores, a retired lieutenant colonel in the United States military police, and a new chapter titled From War Veterans to Peace Officers, which explores policies for incorporating soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan into the domestic police force.

Edwin J. Delattre is president emeritus of St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, and Santa Fe, New Mexico; dean emeritus of the Boston University. School of Education; and professor of philosophy emeritus at the Boston University College of Arts and Sciences.

Foreword to the Sixth Edition

p. xiii

Foreword to the First Edition

p. xix

Acknowledgments

p. xxiii

Introduction

p. 1

Excellence of Character

p. 6

First and Second Nature

p. 6

Character and Police

p. 9

The Morally Important and the Morally Problematic

p. 15

The Mission Police

p. 17

The Experiment in Ordered Liberty

p. 17

Disorder and Injustice

p. 19

Against Tyranny

p. 22

Mission

p. 25

Public Confidence

p. 29

Codes of Ethics and Personal Character

p. 33

The Public Trust and Probity

p. 38

Private Trust

p. 39

The Public Trust

p. 40

Competence

p. 44

Trustworthiness

p. 45

Discretion

p. 49

judgment and Rules

p. 49

Respect for Limits

p. 55

Policies and Laws

p. 57

Force and Deadly Force

p. 64

Anticipation and Planning

p. 68

Public Corruption for Profit

p. 71

Incorruptibility

p. 71

Cynicism and Consolation

p. 72

Higher Standards and Double Standards

p. 74

Hypotheses about Corruption

p. 78

Departmental Supervision

p. 86

Gratuities and the Slippery Slope

p. 87

Character and Free Will

p. 90

Authority and Reform in Controlling Corruption

p. 95

The Authority to Lead

p. 96

Alliances

p. 99

Conspiracies of Silence

p. 102

Reform

p. 103

Combating Mediocrity

p. 104

Review and Advisory Boards

p. 107

Leadership and the Character of a Department

p. 109

Realistic Expectations

p. 110

Burnout

p. 111

Merit and Affirmative Action

p. 113

Recruiting, Selection, and Promotion

p. 128

Illegal Narcotics-Moral Issues and Public Policy

p. 134

Morality and Public Policy

p. 135

Arguments for Legalization of Narcotics

p. 136

Arguments against Legalization

p. 138

Analyzing the Arguments

p. 141

Demand Reduction

p. 144

Conclusion

p. 146

The Fundamentals of Character and Training

p. 150

Sex and Money

p. 151

Realism and Idealism

p. 154

Morality and Happiness

p. 155

Moral Problems

p. 157

Habits

p. 158

Current Fashion in Ethics Education

p. 160

"Value" Choices and "Ethical Dilemmas"

p. 163

Individual and Departmental Character

p. 166

Deliberation and Moral Problems-In training

p. 172

Moral Deliberation

p. 173

Identifying Genuine Moral Problems

p. 180

Identifying Relevant Reasons for Decisions

p. 188

The Fabric of a Life

p. 204

Tragedy and "Noble Cause" Corruption

p. 207

Ends and Means

p. 209

Who Is to Say (What to Do)?

p. 213

Trying to Have It Both Ways

p. 217

Thinking It Through

p. 222

Dirty Harry

p. 226

"Noble Cause" Corruption

p. 230

Excusable Wrongdoing

p. 231

Deciding

p. 232

Death and Bereavement, Deadly Force and Guilt

p. 234

The Death of a Friend, Partner, or Loved One

p. 234

Living Up to the Facts

p. 235

Love

p. 236

Dignity

p. 237

The Bereavement of Others

p. 238

Deadly Force

p. 239

Guilt

p. 240

Taking Our Lives Seriously

p. 242

The Extra Mile

p. 242

The Morality of Aspiration

p. 243

Taking Our Lives Seriously

p. 245

Fatalism, Microcosms, and Therapeutic Reductions

p. 247

Fatalism and the Microcosm Argument

p. 248

Rising above the Microcosm

p. 251

More on Higher Standards and Double Standards

p. 257

The Therapeutic Vision of Human Beings

p. 259

The Americans with Disabilities Act

p. 268

Therapy and Multicultural Sensitivity Training

p. 270

Ethical Ideals, Youth Violence, and Gang Enforcement

p. 274

A Sketch of the Ethically Ideal Institution

p. 276

Youth Violence and Gang Enforcement

p. 277

Gangs, Education, and the Heroism of Cowards

p. 285

Unconditional Obligations

p. 295

Police, the O. J. Simpson Trial, and Race

p. 297

Individuality and Group Identity

p. 298

The Lessons of the O. J. Simpson Trial for Police

p. 303

Policing and Prejudice

p. 310

Thinking about "Race"

p. 316

Thinking about Human Beings

p. 323

Conclusion

p. 326

The Spirit of Public Service and Individual Conscience

p. 327

Reciprocity and the Spirit of Service

p. 329

Individual Conscience

p. 333

Conscience and Police Assignments

p. 333

Recruitment, Training, and Departmental Policy

p. 335

Supervision and Leadership

p. 337

Law and Policy

p. 340

Policies That Aid Conscience

p. 341

Conclusion

p. 345

Ethics in the future of policing

p. 346

Ethics and Rules

p. 347

Narcissism and Childishness

p. 352

Morality and Social Conditions

p. 353

"Broken Windows" and Social Stigma

p. 358

Social Stigma within Policing

p. 362

Recruiting Problems

p. 367

Essential Capacities

p. 372

Character and Capacities

p. 385

Terrorism and Policing

p. 387

What Is a Terrorist?

p. 393

Bargaining by Outrage

p. 396

Suicide Bombers and Cowardice

p. 402

Imagination, Horror, and History

p. 404

Nothing Will Ever Be the Same?

p. 405

Disagreement and Conflict within the United States

p. 410

Disagreements within Law Enforcement

p. 413

Terrorism and the Police Mission

p. 416

Racial Profiling and the Public Trust

p. 430

Integrity and Professionalism: John.P O'Neill

p. 435

Conclusion

p. 436

Ethics in Action: Case Studies of Professional Excellence in Policing Excellence in Policing

p. 439

In Pursuit of Truth: Investigating Mass Murder at Columbine

p. 441

Ethics Restored: Reform in the Los Angeles Police Department

p. 447

Competence and Cooperation: Combating Gangs in Fairfax County, Virginia

p. 457

Regaining Public Trust: Corruption and Reform in the Greece, New York, Police Department